The Michaela Bancroft Mysteries 1-3 (83 page)

Lucia didn't say anything for a while.

"Lucia, it's your word against your cousin's, and we can help you if you talk to us. We may even be able to keep your father out of this," Marianne told her.

"And Mario, my brother? If he knew, he'd be so ashamed of me," Lucia said.

"I think we can arrange that," Marianne said.

"Fine, I'll tell you what I know if you promise me that my dad and brother don't need to know."

Marianne opened her cell phone and dialed. Michaela had no idea what she was doing until she spoke into it. "Okay, Miss Sorvino has agreed to work with us. Yes. On the condition that her family is not made aware of the situation. Yes. Okay. Sure. I'll tell her. Yes, sir. Good-bye."

"Who was that?" Lucia asked.

"The attorney general. He says he'll do what he can for you, but he can't control what your cousin might say or do. However, I'm sure that whatever your cousin may say, you can convince your family that he's a lunatic. Especially if you have my help."

Priceless! Michaela wanted to nominate Marianne for an Academy Award.

And then Lucia spilled her guts.

AN HOUR LATER, AFTER ANTHONY AND MARIANNE had versed Lucia on her role, they were ready to go. Michaela's back hurt from being driven all over town in such an uncomfortable position. She'd wanted to whip back the blanket covering her, jump over the backseat, and strangle the brat when she'd said that she only told the police Sterling said he was sleeping with Michaela because she was afraid that, if she didn't say something, the cops would find out about the jewelry scam.

"I had nothing to do with his murder," Lucia protested. "I was scared because I knew what we were doing was wrong. Looks like the police found out anyway."

"That's our job," Marianne said. "We think we know who murdered Sterling and why, and because it involves the jewels, it's up to you to get a taped confession. That is, if you want to stay out of jail."

"Wait, no. I can't do that! I don't know how to do that," Lucia said.

"So I'm going to tell you." Marianne went over everything that she and the others had concocted. "Make the call."

"Okay," Lucia replied, sounding shaken.

She dialed a number. "It's me. I need you to meet me at the club. Diamante called and needs us there. No, I don't know why. But you need to be there. Now. I'm on my way. I'll see you there." She hung up the phone. "The club won't be open right now, you know."

"We know. Everything can take place outside the club. You'll be wired and we'll park around the corner."

"Wired?"

"There's nothing to be afraid of," Marianne said. "We do it all the time."

"Fine, but you better not let me go to jail and you better be right about this."

"We are."

Michaela crossed her fingers. What if her theory was wrong? No harm, no foul, other than one irate Lucia Sorvino. It was a risk, but she figured that if they didn't take it, she might eventually wind up dead. Sterling's murderer was ruthless, and after the other night, Michaela feared that the killer still intended to see her wind up the same way.

The car stopped. Michaela heard everyone get out. Joe helped Marianne wire Lucia. "Play by the book, Miss Sorvino. We'd hate for this to all go wrong for you. Pretty girls like you don't last long in jail," Marianne said. Oh, she was good!

A minute later, Joe opened the back hatch. "She's around the corner."

Michaela pulled off her blanket and blew a piece of hair out of her face. "Oh my, you are so brilliant, Marianne. I could kiss you."

"I
was
good, wasn't I?" Marianne replied.

"What about me?" Anthony asked.

Michaela patted him on the shoulder. "Excellent, all of you."

"Yeah, well, it ain't over yet," Joe said. "C'mon, get back in the car, let's see what we can hear."

"Do you think she'll run?" Michaela asked.

"No. Her family is here, and we've got her on tape now. We've got plenty of leverage on her, and my wife scared her witless. She won't run. Shh, here she is. Listen."

"Hi."

"What's this all about? I don't like this. Where's your car?"

"I parked around the corner. I don't know what it's about. Diamante just wanted to see us."

Michaela and the others exchanged looks. Joe turned up the volume on the scanner. Michaela was wondering, as she was sure they all were, if Lucia would blow it, or if Tommy would press her about where she'd parked.

"It better be good. I had to make up some lame excuse why I had to leave work. Ed Mitchell gets a whiff of it, we may not have a jewelry store to use for this stuff. And I need this. We haven't reached our goals. Mitchell thinks I'm so dependable, that's why he likes me. If he knew I was robbing him blind…oh God." Tommy's laughter rang through the scanner.

Michaela winced. She had no idea the man was so completely calculating and coldhearted.

"I'm going to tell Diamante that I don't want to do this any longer," Lucia said.

"What? Why? You're kidding. How much money have we made at this in the past few months? What, a hundred grand each? Come on. Don't be stupid. What's all this about?"

"Sterling."

"Honey, we've talked, and even though he's not here any longer we can still go forward with our plans. Come on, you're being ridiculous."

"No. I'm scared," Lucia replied.

"Why? There's nothing to be scared of. We have dreams, and this is the way to get them."

"What about Michaela Bancroft? I followed her, you know, and she's been talking to everyone about Sterling and I don't think she did it."

"Of course she didn't. Haven't you heard the news? The cops are saying that Sterling's sister-in-law did. We've got nothing to worry about. Michaela Bancroft won't be snooping around any longer."

"What if she does? She might find out about the jewels."

"She's not going with the script," Michaela whispered. "What's the deal? I thought she was only supposed to focus on Sterling."

Marianne shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe she knows what she's doing. She better."

"You know she found my bracelet," they heard Lucia say.

"What?" Tommy asked. "That was
your
bracelet? You're an idiot."

"What do you mean?"

"She came into the store the other day and the other salesperson looked at it and told her it was a phony. Luckily, she told me about it. Quit worrying about her. I'll take care of Michaela."

"What does that mean?" Lucia asked.

Joe raised his eyebrows.

"Nothing. You need to quit worrying so much and do what you're told. Now, where the hell is Diamante? I don't have time for this shit!"

"I'm out. I can't do this anymore. I just can't. I'm gonna tell Diamante when he gets here. You and Sterling had dreams and I went along with all of this because you told me that you could convince Sterling to be with me and that he'd fall in love with me."

Joe and Michaela eyed each other. "I thought so," Michaela said. "I figured there was something going on between those two. Ed Mitchell indicated it as well."

"Shh!" Joe said. "They're still talking."

"Oh babe, love is overrated. Plus, you and I have had some fun together. We got enough cash stored away right now to run off to some Caribbean island and have a party."

"I don't want to party with you. I want Sterling back!"

"That isn't going to happen. Now what the hell is wrong with you? You didn't seem all broken up about Sterling after it happened."

"How could I be? Of course I was, but I couldn't show it. I had to think quick. I was afraid the police would think that I did it."

"Well, you didn't."

"Like I just told you, Sterling's sister-in-law looks like the bad guy now after killing herself. They think she hired someone to kill him. We can still make our deals, and like I said, we can go have some fun in the sun. And if that's not your thing…well, no problem, babe. I'll take my share and go have some fun. Don't be so fucking stupid!"

"You know what scares me is that I still think there's a killer out there. What if it's Ed Mitchell? He could have found out what was going on, and he'll take each of us out one by one. Or that daughter of his."

"Juliet? Please. The cops think it was a hired gun, and they don't go after people like us. They get paid, they do the job, and they take off." Tommy laughed. "Look, neither Ed nor Juliet had anything to do with it."

"How do you know? I don't like this. I don't believe that Carolyn Taber hired anyone. How do I know that it's not someone we know? Maybe it's even you."

"You are acting like a sick little bitch! You're gonna do what you're told to do because that's the way it is! We brought you in on this because we needed you to convince your cousin to work with us. After what happened with Sterling in Santa Barbara when he was a kid, Diamante wasn't too keen on working with him again, but you helped with that, and now you're the middleman since Sterling is fucking dead."

There was a rustling noise.

"What are you doing?" Lucia exclaimed.

"Get in the car!"

"No!" she screamed.

"I said, get the hell in the car. I don't like where this is going, and I don't think Diamante is on his way. I don't know what you're up to, Lucia, but get the hell in the car and start talking because we're going for a drive."

"No! Let go of me!"

"I should have killed you, too. Dammit. I knew you were trouble."

"What do you mean…ow!"

It sounded as if Tommy was hurting her. They heard a car door slam.

Joe cranked the engine on the minivan as Lucia screamed,
"No!"
again.

They squealed around the corner. Marianne and Anthony fell on Michaela as they scrambled for seat belts.

"Joey!" Marianne yelled.

"Get my piece from the glove compartment," he said.

Marianne did as he said.

"Anthony, you know how to use a weapon?"

"Hell no, Joe. I'm a tax attorney."

"You're also a Pellegrino!"

"I can use it, honey, I know how," Marianne said.

"No, Michaela knows how to as well. I need you to drive. Here, trade."

Michaela watched in awe as Marianne slid under Joe, who moved over to the passenger seat while keeping his hands on the wheel and foot on the gas until Marianne could take over. "You two are scaring me. You're like a regular Bonnie and Clyde," Michaela said.

"In my bag, in the back, grab the other gun. You remember how to use it?"

"Yes," Michaela replied. Joe had taken her to the shooting range several times over the past year after her uncle had been killed.

Marianne spun into the parking lot as Tommy and Lucia took off in his jeep. They all heard Tommy say, "What the hell? Who is that, Lucia? Who the fuck is that?"

"I swear I don't know. I don't!"

"Should have never trusted you. You should've kept your questions to yourself!" Tommy screamed. "I'll kill you just like I did Sterling and that stupid sister-in-law of his!"

"What? No!"

"Oh my God," Michaela said. "He's spilling it all."

"She hasn't lost the wire yet," Joe said. "This isn't good. Are you willing to use the gun, Mick?"

"I…don't know," Michaela said.

"No time for 'I don't know.' I think this guy plans to kill her," Joe said.

Marianne punched the accelerator.

"Lucia!' Tommy screamed. "Tell me! Who is following us?"

"I don't know," she cried.

"I'm going to kill you, Lucia, just like I did Rebecca Woodson! And frigging Sterling got all greedy on me and was gonna tell that stupid chick's family that I did it, all because he wanted all the cash from the jewels. Know what? He probably would've figured a way to have ousted you, too. He was a snake, Lucia, and you're being a moron! I'm willing to share with you and now you go and rat me out. Didn't you?"

"No! No! Diamante did!"

"He did kill Rebecca," Michaela said.

"What! What the…" Tommy turned down a one-way street, his tires screaming around the corner.

Marianne stayed right behind him. Tommy emerged on the other end, but just before Marianne got there, a huge semi started to pull in front of them.

"Oh shit!" Joe exclaimed.

Michaela held onto her seat belt.

"Oh Mary, Mother of God," Anthony muttered.

Marianne floored the gas and circled around the semi's cab, barely missing it.

"Around that way!" Joe yelled.

She followed his directions and they again got behind Tommy's gray jeep. "Now, Mick, now! Can you take out that left rear wheel?" Joe yelled.

"I don't know."

"Try!"

They rolled down their windows. Joe stuck his gun out the front window, Michaela the back, pointing it as best as she could at the tire. They were heading toward the freeway and traffic increased as they weaved between cars. The last thing Michaela wanted was for anyone to get hurt.

Anthony had his phone out. Michaela heard him calling the police, which at this point was an excellent idea. He reported an abduction and gave a description of the car. Tommy went down another street, away from the freeway and toward suburbia.

"Take the shot, Mick! You've got a better vantage!" Joe said.

She aimed and fired. The jeep squirreled out and then zipped around a light post, finally straightening out. "I think I got him!"

The jeep started to slow. Michaela watched as Tommy leaped out. "Stop the car!" Joe yelled.

When Marianne did, Joe scrambled out and started after Tommy. Michaela followed. What happened next seemed like it took place in slow motion. No one figured Tommy had a weapon on him, but he turned around and fired, and Joe went down. Michaela sprinted to him as Tommy ran off.

"Asshole got me in the knee." Joe winced. Marianne was by Joe's side in seconds, with Anthony behind. "Go check the girl. Make sure she's okay," Joe told Anthony.

"Oh no, Joey, Joey!" Marianne cried.

He reached a hand out for her. "I'm fine, sweetie. It hurts, but I'll be okay. Now, where did that SOB go?" Joe said, his face paling as the pain hit him hard.

"He got away. Again," Michaela said and took Joe's other hand.